St. Pete Beach

Commissioner Jon Maldonado urged the city to take an active role.

The microtransit program, currently operated by Freebee, allows riders to request door-to-door trips within St. Pete Beach.

The city says its ordinance regulates the size, structure and location of signs rather than the message written on them.

The dispute has grown beyond beachfront signs into a broader debate. Meanwhile, a hotel owner who is against the ordinance was arrested after he was accused of scattering mothballs along the beach.

Commissioners agreed Tuesday to move forward with a wastewater rate overhaul.

The two St. Pete Beach business owners were arrested Wednesday after investigations connected them to the mothballs.

Commissioners approved Ordinance 2026-11, creating a 50-foot buffer that prohibits permanent stakes, poles and similar structures near the Gulf.

Free living shoreline designs and a permitting guide will be made available to about 70 waterfront property owners in the Don CeSar neighborhood.

City leaders said the measure follows mounting complaints over signage placed in wet sand that appeared to blur the line between public and private property.

FWC officers are investigating the incident, and they believe the mothballs were placed intentionally to disrupt shorebird nesting.

Approvals are required from the Florida DEP, as well as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The owners of Red White & Booze challenged a city ordinance that included limits on the types of musical instruments and amplification that could be offered outdoors. A judge issued an injunction in their favor.